UCLA vs. UIUC-Computer Science (College of Engineering)

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm an international applicant and I've got into both of them but I am having a hard time deciding which one I should join.
UCLA is in LA, which is really cool, but UIUC (I've heard) is really good for computer engineering.
I have read good and bad things about both so I was hoping for some first hand opinions. Cost is not a decisive issue for me.
Factors into consideration:
1.) Internship
2.) Quality of education
3.) Living experience (including learning experience)</p>

2

<p>anyone???</p>

3

<p>Unless you really have a desire to live in LA, UIUC for sure. My friends tell me it’s easier to get internships through the universities reputation alone. In CS UIUC is elite.</p>

4

<p>Do you want to live in California or around mid-west ? UIUC gets the edge for computer engineering…</p>

5

<p>But, I heard that for undergrad, the overall ranking of the university is more important than CS ranking.</p>

6

<p>Nope. If they’re hiring you for CS, why would they care about any other program besides CS.</p>

<p>Both are great schools. I actually like UCLA’s campus better. But I know from first-hand experience that opportunities basically fall in your lap here at UIUC. Can’t really speak on UCLA.</p>

7

<p>There are tons of internships at UCLA, and we get plenty of internships from top companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Activision Blizzard (Blizzard was founded by UCLA grads.,) etc.</p>

<p>Here’s an anecdote from a poster over at the UCLA forum:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12802086-post2.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12802086-post2.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>

</p>

<p>You do realize that big companies recruit widely, right? Where there is a difference in recruiting at a given university, it tends to be more in terms of which smaller or local companies or those with a particular affinity to the school come to recruit (e.g. Blizzard). Seems that in every thread about a school with a decent CS major, someone mentions that GAFAM recruit there.</p>

9

<p>I do. It was more in response to tselliot’s “can’t speak for UCLA” comment.</p>

<p>Not all universities are close to tech communities however, like Sillicon Valley, or Sillicon Beach. I don’t think this has any direct advantages other than being able to easily commute to the companies due to already being in the area however.</p>

10

<p>UIUC has the fatest running supercomputer on any university campus.
I’ve heard the facilities are pretty mind-blowing as well</p>

11

<p>The smaller companies in the area may not have the recruiting resources to fly to every school in the country to recruit (like GAFAM do). So they may recruit at all of the local schools, plus a few far away schools that they happen to like (which may include UCLA and UIUC for CS).</p>

12

<p>Anyone else would like to comment on internship opportunities?</p>

13

<p>What about the different internship opportunities between these schools???</p>

14

<p>As many as you can use.</p>

15

<p>Can’t go wrong with either.</p>

16

<p>Help!!!</p>

17

<p>You have been given good advice. UI has a better name in the major and most things engineering/tech and gets recruited by everyone major. UCLA is in sunny Cal near many tech firms and very good. That’s that.</p>

18

<p>Many told me that the network at UCLA is better that UIUC. So, students from both schools will get heavily recruited by major companies right???</p>

19

<p>I doubt that. UIUC has far more grad working in tech firms at high levels. It is a CS power. UCLA is just good.</p>

20

<p>bump10char</p>